Dear Dr. Wilson,
Thank you for the reply to my question Dr. Wilson. One more question if I may. Is Maple syrup, the Organic kind, like Shady Maple Farms or Coombs Family Farms as a substitute? Or Stevia? What would you recommend for someone trying to kick the sugar habit? (whoops I guess that was 3 questions) — Randy
Dr Wilson’s Response:
Think honey is a reasonable choice as long as you don’t overdo it. Although honey has a fair amount of fructose it is a whole food with many other additional beneficial components. Maple syrup is moderately high in fructose but it is much more processed through boiling than honey. Stevia is probably the safest artificial sweetener although once you kick the sugar habit I suspect that your need for using any type of added sweetener will diminish.
What do you think about raw coconut crystals, made from the sap of a coconut tree?
I’m not a big fan of most artificial sweeteners. Stevia is probably your best choice. If you have cravings for sweet or starchy foods, I recommend that you take L-glutamine 1,000 mg 3x daily. This amino acid helps to suppress carbohydrate cravings. Once you get off the sugar, the cravings will subside. Good luck!
Dr. Bill Wilson
Why would stevia and coconut sugar be considered artificial? Isn’t stevia an herb that is super sweet? coconuts a real. Just asking because I too, am trying to get control of my sugar intake, and I am avoiding the artificial stuff. I read that coconut sugar is probably the “healthiest” choice. Have I been misled? 🙁
Stevia is a sugar substitute made from a plant. It does not contain calories and thus it is probably the best choice to replace sugar. Coconut sugar contains sucrose, glucose and fructose so it is not a good choice. It has the same down side as using sucrose or regular sugar.